Roll of Honour
Lance Sergeant
James Struthers
MA
Lance Corporal James Struthers was born on the 20th of June, 1880 to James and Janet Young Struthers, of 19, Polwarth St., Galston, Ayrshire. Struthers attended the University of Glasgow from 1897 to 1900, obtaining an M.A. At University, Struthers studied a variety of subjects such as Maths, English, Greek. He particularly excelled in Greek and was awarded two consecutive prizes in the subject in 1898 and 1899.
He then enrolled for a two-year course of teacher training at the Glasgow Church of Scotland Training College - precursor of Jordanhill College of Education, now the University of Strathclyde - in session 1898-99. After qualifying as a teacher, Struthers broadened his education by attending the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College (known from 1912 as the Royal Technical College, now the University of Strathclyde) for a total of 5 years between session 1902-03 and session 1913-14. Struthers initially enrolled at the College in 1902 for two evening courses in Mathematics, the student register giving his occupation as ‘Teacher’ and his address as 16 Jamieson Street, Govanhill. The following year, he registered for day classes in Practical Physics, Practical Chemistry, Mathematics and Inorganic Chemistry Lectures, gaining first-class certificates of merit in the latter two subjects; and also for evening classes in Theoretical Mechanics; Sound, Light and Heat Lectures and Laboratory; and Magnetism and Electricity Lectures and Laboratory, gaining second-class certificates of merit for each of these evening classes. By this time, the student register records his address as ‘Sharp’s Institution, Perth’. Struthers did not return to the College until session 1907-08, when he was living at 15 Claremont Place, Crieff Road, Perth, and took an evening course in Chemical Laboratory that was specifically designed for teachers. Four years later, in 1911, and now residing at ‘Waverley’ in Scott Street, Hamilton, Struthers enrolled once again at the College for evening classes in Botany and Practical Botany. Finally, in session 1913-14 he again attended evening classes in Botany and Practical Botany, together with Practical Physics.
Whilst studying he married Agnes Mains Neilson and lived on Scott Street in Hamilton, Lanarkshire. Before volunteering to join the war effort, Struthers taught at Dalziel High School in Motherwell before settling to teach in his childhood home of Galston.
Struthers served in the "A" Company 7th Battalion Cameron Highlanders which landed in Boulogne on the 9th of July, 1915. Sadly he did not return home as he was one of the 7000 Scots that gave their lives at the Battle of Loos. Struthers died on 25th of September, 1915 at the age of 35. He is remembered by the Loos memorial.